Comparison

Concise English Dictionary vs Dictionary.com

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Concise English Dictionary

Explore a vast English dictionary and thesaurus with detailed definitions, pronunciations, and word origins. Access over 591,700 entries and 4.9 million words, with offline capabilities and a user-friendly interface for enhanced language learning.

Highlights
  • Comprehensive dictionary database
  • High-quality audio pronunciations
  • Extensive IPA pronunciation guides
  • In-depth word origins (etymology)
  • Detailed definitions and example sentences
  • Integrated thesaurus with synonyms
  • Offline access
Features
Read full description

Discover the power of words with Concise English Dictionary & Thesaurus, an exceptional all-in-one reference app designed to elevate your language experience on iOS. Endorsed by Experts: "The app’s clean interface, speed, and size make it a compelling and useful addition to the iPhone or iPod touch." — Ben Boychuk, MACWORLD Key Features: • Comprehensive Database: Access one of the largest English dictionary databases, with up to 591,700 entries and over 4.9 million words, ensuring you find exactly what you need. • High-Quality Audio Pronunciations: Hear words pronounced in American, British, and Australian English, with options for both male and female voices. • Extensive Pronunciation Guides: Includes 134,000 guides in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), with easy-to-use symbol assistance—just tap the guide to understand pronunciation details. • In-Depth Word Origins: Discover the etymologies of words to better understand their histories and how meanings have evolved. • Detailed Definitions and Examples: Get clear, precise definitions along with sample sentences to see words in context, enhancing your writing and speaking skills. • Thesaurus Integration: Expand your vocabulary with word links that provide synonyms and related terms. • Diverse Lexical Entries: Beyond everyday words, find biographical and geographical data, technical and scientific terms, idioms, prepositions, conjunctions, determiners, interjections, abbreviations, contractions, common misspellings, irregular forms, and even Old English words. • User-Friendly Experience: Enjoy fast look-ups and a snappy user interface with smooth-scrolling screens, specifically designed for iOS devices. • Customizable History and Bookmarks: Keep track of your search history and bookmark favorite words for quick reference. • Fun and Educational Word Shake: Shake your device to discover random words and expand your vocabulary in an enjoyable way. • Offline Access: Use the app anytime, anywhere, without needing an internet connection.

About

Dictionary.com

Access over 2 million trusted definitions and synonyms for English words. Enhance your vocabulary with daily new words, example sentences, and audio pronunciations. This app provides grammar tips and editorial content to deepen your understanding of the English language.

Highlights
  • 2 million+ definitions and synonyms
  • Word of the Day
  • Example sentences
  • Audio pronunciations
  • Grammar tips
  • Search history
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Download the #1 free dictionary app! With more than 2 million trusted definitions and synonyms, this English dictionary and thesaurus app for iPhone is optimized for your mobile device. Improve your English vocabulary, whether you're just starting your learning journey or you're already a word wizard. Install the app for access to definitions and synonyms whenever and wherever you need them — no bulky books necessary. Flip to dark mode to give your eyes a break, or stick to the traditional set-up. In addition to the trusted reference content from Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com, this education app includes: Word of the Day ► Learn a new word each day and expand your vocabulary. Example Sentences ► Browse real-world example sentences to see how words are used. Idioms ► Explore how words can gain new meanings. Rhymes ► Finish every verse. Audio Pronunciations ► Never mispronounce another word. Grammar ► Get grammar tips, word usage, and more to improve your writing. Editorial Articles ► Explore editorial content for features on words, the origins of the English language, and the nuances that make English so complicated and unique. Search History ► Customize your recently searched word list, and never forget the newest words you’ve learned. Dictionary Shuffle ► Think you know ALL the definitions? Prove it with Dictionary Shuffle, which chooses a word at random and brings you to the definition. A-Z Dictionary ► What’s more exciting than ... wait for it … browsing the Dictionary?! We’ve now made it even easier, with the A–Z Dictionary.

Screenshots

Concise English Dictionary4 screens
Dictionary.com4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Concise English Dictionary at 85% against Dictionary.com's 26%. Concise English Dictionary also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 9) and ads (none vs shown). Dictionary.com's advantage is price (Free vs $0.99) and update cadence (monthly vs every 9 months). On device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Dictionary.com is free to download; Concise English Dictionary costs $0.99 up front. Dictionary.com sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Concise English Dictionary asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Dictionary.com holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dictionary.com has 328K ratings behind it against 30, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 85% of Concise English Dictionary's written reviews are positive against 26% of Dictionary.com's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Concise English Dictionary ships an update every 9 months, Dictionary.com monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard10 real differences · 1 level
Concise English Dictionary versus Dictionary.com: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterConcise English DictionaryDictionary.com
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.5 (30 ratings)4.8 (328K ratings) — better
Positive reviews85.0% of reviews — better25.7% of reviews
Number of ratings30328K — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank—#138 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size317 MB35 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperJDMI Kft.Curiosity Media

Customer experience

Concise English Dictionary

All ratings30 ratings
Positive93.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews200 reviews
Positive85.0%
Neutral5.5%
Negative9.5%

Dictionary.com

All ratings327,783 ratings
Positive95.5%
Neutral2.0%
Negative2.5%
Written reviews1,384 reviews
Positive25.7%
Neutral9.2%
Negative65.0%

User reviews

Concise English Dictionary

From 30 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Simple and straightforward
  • 🚀 Fast and responsive
  • 💡 Offline functionality
  • 🔍 Comprehensive word coverage
  • 📚 Useful for improving vocabulary

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Functionality issues (e.g., idioms search not working)
  • 🔍 Limited thesaurus features
  • 📱 Lacks landscape mode support on iPad
  • 💬 Some definitions lack detail
  • 🔍 Struggles with obscure or technical words

Dictionary.com

From 328K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Robust dictionary and thesaurus
  • 🤓 Helpful resources like blogs and articles
  • 💡 Useful word games and puzzles
  • 👍 Easy to use and navigate
  • 🤩 Great for expanding vocabulary

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inconsistent search results and missing definitions
  • 💸 Aggressive ads even after paid upgrades
  • 🤯 Frequent crashes and performance issues
  • 🤔 Confusing layout changes and UI issues
  • 🤷‍♀️ Paid features not always working as expected

Bugs and requests

Concise English Dictionary

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Occasional crashes
  • Inconsistent behavior when searching for words

Requested features

5 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Improved thesaurus functionality
  • Ability to sync bookmarks across devices
  • Predictive text support for easier word lookup
  • Integration with system-wide search (e.g., Spotlight)

Dictionary.com

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Notifications not working as expected
  • Inconsistent behavior when tapping on words
  • Offline dictionary not downloading properly
  • Frequent crashes and freezes on various devices
  • Paid features not unlocking or resetting unexpectedly

Requested features

5 requests
  • Dedicated section to display all forms of a word
  • Ability to create and manage custom word lists
  • Improved offline mode with more functionality
  • Better integration with other productivity apps
  • More language support beyond just English

In-app purchases

None

Concise English Dictionary

No in-app purchases

9 purchases

Dictionary.com

One-time9
  • Rhyming Dictionary$1.99
  • Grammar & Tips$1.99
  • Idioms & Phrases$1.99
Show 6 more
  • Example Sentences$2.99
  • Science Dictionary$2.99
  • Encyclopedia$2.99
  • Offline Dictionary$2.99
  • Remove Ads$2.99
  • Power Pack$5.99

Questions

Is Concise English Dictionary free?
Concise English Dictionary costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Dictionary.com free?
Dictionary.com is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Concise English Dictionary or Dictionary.com?
Dictionary.com is rated higher. Concise English Dictionary averages 4.5 out of 5 from 30 ratings, while Dictionary.com averages 4.8 from 328K ratings.
Do Concise English Dictionary or Dictionary.com have ads?
Dictionary.com shows ads; Concise English Dictionary does not.
Which is updated more often, Concise English Dictionary or Dictionary.com?
Concise English Dictionary ships an update every 9 months, and Dictionary.com monthly. Most recently, Concise English Dictionary was updated on September 24, 2026 and Dictionary.com on September 28, 2026.

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